The only Stark left
by sindotramente
Summary: One shot. Aubree Leigh knew the Starks for years, they were the only one who knew her secret. Just before Christmas she lost both Maria and Howard. What will her relationship with Tony be when he sees that she survived the crash.


(16 December 1991)

 _It was years since she escaped from HYDRA's Siberian facility. She worked for opposing organization now, she worked for SHIELD. She was with her friend Howard Stark at his house, they were leaving. She was supposed to take Howard and his lovely wife Maria to the airport for their annual Christmas vacation together. They asked her to look after their son Tony at their absence. It was always awkward to be a witness of family arguments, and Howard and his son were never on good terms. She couldn't understand sometimes how people who love each other so much couldn't really communicate. As the father left followed by his wife Bree came to Tony and put her comforting hand on his shoulder._

 _\- I'll be back soon. Don't worry too much. – She said to the young Stark and ruffled his hair as she took her coat and left their mansion. She sat in the driver's seat and looked at Maria in the rear mirror, she sighed._

 _\- I don't underst... - She started her rant but was cut off by Howard._

 _\- Just stop. I'll deal with Tony when we get back, now let's enjoy our ride. - He sounded tired and a tint of anger and disappointment still rang in his voice._

 _\- Thank you, Aubree, for agreeing to take care of him. He is a rowdy boy. – Said Maria wanting to ease the tension in the car._

 _\- Oh, my pleasure Maria, you know I adore the boy. – She said with her bright smile. She loved Starks, they gave her something similar to home, when she had none. They were her American family, and they never judged her._

 _They were silent after that, Bree turned on the radio, and all the Christmas songs were lighting the mood. She told Howard and Maria a story of how it was weird for her when the old gods were replaced by some guy she had no idea even lived in the Middle East. They shared a small laugh. The Starks, at least the parents, knew about her life, and that's what was so precious to her, they knew, and they still treated her like a human. Suddenly a bright light and a slight explosion made her lose control of the car._

 _\- Hold on! – She shouted, but no matter what she did with the automobile it still hit the tree. She was impaled by many glass parts from the broken window and she felt herself losing consciousness. She couldn't move she couldn't feel her legs. She heard Howard moving from his seat, he wanted to see if his wife was there. She heard a motorbike coming their way. Oh thank gods, the person on the bike will help._

 _\- Help my wife. – Pleaded Howard as he moved on the gravel road. – Please, help them. – She heard steps closing in on Stark, slowly and then, for the last time, Howard spoke again. – Sergeant Barnes?_

 _\- Howard... - Sounded Maria's voice from the back seat._

 _Next was the most sickening noise he ever heard, the men called Barnes started beating Howard Stark's face to a pulp._

 _\- Howard! – She screamed barely holding to her own life. Aubree tried her best to move, maybe remove the glass from her chest and stomach, but she was so weak, and bleeding out wouldn't help much. Her healing was good, but not that good. The sound of a body hitting the road and then being moved just to be placed next to her in passenger's seat. She saw a glint of metal on the left side of the man. She gasped. But the man seemed unmoved, he just broke the back-seat window and moved his hand to Maria's throat._

 _\- Help... - She started, but she could never finish because the assassin's hand closed on her pipes._

 _\- Maria! No. Leave her be... - Tried weakly Aubree. She promised she will keep them safe, she promised Tony that everything will be fine, that he doesn't need to worry. She failed to keep his parents safe. She heard the last breath leaving Maria's body and she felt herself getting more and more anxious. She still couldn't move her legs, which were probably crushed. The Winter Soldier moved to her. He didn't look at Maria when he was killing her, but to kill Aubree he made a mistake. Her huge unnatural irises looked at him in all the green and golden glory full of fear, mixed with guilt and recognition._

 _\- Please... You don't have to do this... - He looked at her as he closed his cold bionic hand on her throat. She couldn't fight him, but she placed her hand on his and croaked, what she thought was her last words. – I'm so sorry..._

 _She hasn't seen his face as she said it, she was consumed by blackness, and she couldn't have known how confused he felt when she went limb. Did she apologize to him? Or was this apology meant for someone else?_

 _(1992)_

 _She did everything she could. She tried her best to heal Maria and Howard Stark, but she couldn't bring the dead back to life, she knew that but she still tried. She tried until the authorities came and found her in a pool of her and her friends' blood, unconscious. She was transported to a hospital, but soon S.H.I.E.L.D. came and took her to their own facility, far away from grieving and broken Tony Stark, who lost his whole family in one day._

 _She went into a coma-like state, healing death took a toll on her body like nothing else could. No doctor knew what was wrong with her. Her vitals were stable, her body was healed, her brain functions seemed normal, however, she still stayed in a dreamless state. She woke up a month later, screaming and crying when memories of this fatal night came to her. She needed to see Tony, he was all alone in this world, he needed her. She felt terrible knowing that it was all her fault, she couldn't save them, she helped HYDRA create the Winter Soldier, she healed him and he turned on her. She knew it wasn't his fault, he was an assassin, he was a weapon, an asset in the wrong hands. She felt her small safe world crumble beneath her feet as she realized that she made all the wrong decisions._

 _\- How long? – She asked the nurse, who was standing next to her bed writing on her notepad as she read data from the screens._

 _\- A month. – Was the answer. She didn't wait for a check-up with a doctor, she just jumped out of bed and walked to the clothes that were prepared for her. Not caring for the nurse, she started changing while she spoke._

 _\- Contact Agent Carter immediately, and make sure I get a car and a driver after I'm done. – She said with all authority she could master. After she contacted Peggy explaining everything she saw with all the details and everything, she made her promise to leave all that she said in a classified file available only for the director and creators of S.H.I.E.L.D._

 _Finally, she made her way to the Stark household to find Tony in an understandable state of devastation. She knew he never had a good relationship with his father, however, he loved his mother dearly. He ignored her altogether not understanding how she survived what he thought was a car accident. He completely and utterly believed that all blame is on her. And she took it like a champ, she knew that he needed someone to blame. So, after an hour of sitting and watching him work, on something she couldn't name, she listened to him shout at her, blaming her and calling her names. She let her tears flow as she took it all on her shoulders._

 _\- How come you survived?! You let them die! You killed them! You drove the car! You can't even imagine how much I despise you! You disgust me, Leigh! – He screamed blood pumping redness into his face and neck as he finally broke into uncontrollable sobs._

 _\- You are right, Tony. It was my fault. You have all the right to blame me. But let me help you. Your parents wouldn't want me to leave you all alone. – She pleaded with him and slowly opened her arms for him to accept her comfort. And he did, he fell on his knees and snuggled into her chest and stomach letting the tears flow. He was so young, and so much was on his shoulders. She placed her hands in his hair and she let her sobs stop, as she used her power to take at least a little bit of his pain and grief. He didn't know about her gift, or her true identity, for him she was just Aunt Bree. After a couple of minutes of Tony letting his feeling get the best of him, he stood up and looked at her._

 _\- I want you to leave. I don't know how long, but I don't want to see you right now. Get out.– He said, and she understood. She smiled at him fondly but sadly and she turned to leave._

 _\- Take care of yourself, Anthony. You know where to find me. – She said before she left not glancing back._

 _Later that month..._

 _She was escorted by one of the security guards towards Obadiah Stane's office. She was wearing a very neat grey pencil skirt, black Louboutin's and white shirt with an honorary pass hanging over her right breast._

 _\- Miss Leigh, so nice to see you. What brings you here? – Asked Stane as he greeted her with open arms, she never really liked the man, not that he was mean or bad, it just never clicked with the two of them. She was Howard's friend, but never his._

 _\- I wanted to thank you, for taking care of Anthony, and the company. – She said as she parted from an unwanted bear hug, which she only half-heartedly returned._

 _\- Oh, you know the boy is like a son to me, and Stark Industries is partly my baby as well. – He said in an attempt at a joke to which she smiled politely._

 _\- Mister Stane I'll cut to the chase. I mean to leave the USA for a time being. I wanted to ask you, to continue taking care of Tony. He is a precious boy for me, and I wouldn't want him to be alone. – She said and he muttered an 'of course' when she made it clear that she meant to continue. – I will be honest with you. I am not capable of putting my whole trust in your person. I care for Tony more than you can imagine, and if anything were to happen to him I will make sure you take full responsibility for it. – She was threatening him in the way, that made him realize that she was serious, and what was more, she really loved Tony Stark. Motherly way or not, she loved the young man with all her heart, and the guilt of his parents' death made it even more clear that she was responsible for him. Finally, after a little stare down, in which her beautiful eyes, even if hidden by contact lenses, stared sternly into his shocked eyes, she took a step back and turned to leave the room. – I hope you will do your best, sir. Farwell._

 _And saying that she left Obadiah Stane speechless as he watched her petite figure retract from his office leaving an aura of threat that was much too powerful for such a small woman to create with just a look and couple of words, which weren't really spoken in an angry way. Her voice, never wavering, was still nice, hypnotic and pleasant, however, it made him feel much smaller, even if he towered over her._

 _She was again escorted by a bodyguard to her car. Black BMW was driven by Hogan Happy, a young man with a pleasant face._

 _\- Happy, as you know I'm leaving, but I'm not leaving you jobless. – She said sitting across from him on the back seat. The young man looked at her in the revving mirror._

 _\- Miss? – He asked totally not following her train of thought, as he slowly started driving on the streets of New York._

 _\- I'm placing you as a personal bodyguard of Tony Stark, everything is already in order, you are starting as soon as I leave you at the airport. – She explained slowly placing her hands on her lap. – I believe that you are a loyal person, however, I don't need your loyalty to myself. I want someone I could trust with Tony's safety. You'll get a good pay, and I believe that you will be loyal to young Mister Stark._

 _\- Of course, Miss Leigh. – He said as she opened her handbag and took out an envelope which was sealed with wax in a very old-fashioned way, even the coat of arms was engraved in the wax. The symbol presented was a crescent moon with an eye watching from behind it, half hidden._

 _\- This is all the information that Tony will need in order to contact me if he so wishes. I'm placing it in your care until you start working for him. I hope you can take care of him in my absence. – She said in a stern but still caring voice. It was easy to feel how very honest were her worries about young Stark. After an honest 'yes ma'am' from Hogan, they drove to her small flat and he helped her get her things to the car and left for the airport._

 _(2010)_

 _It's been too long, she hadn't heard from Tony for twelve years and she honestly missed him. She was in her new home in Britain far from big cities and most of the civilization. The new S.H.I.E.L.D. director, Nick Fury contacted her once during that time but that was all the contact she got from the USA. She was a Brit so she felt comfortable around the people there, however she was a little worried that soon people might start noticing how she didn't age a day, and she was beginning to feel a bit restless. However, in early April she got a phone call from someone she wouldn't expect to hear from._

 _\- Hallo? – She said as she answered the small untraceable phone that S.H.I.E.L.D. acquired for her._

 _\- Miss Leigh? Is that you? – She heard an almost forgotten voice of Hogan Happy._

 _\- Happy? Is something wrong? – Bree knew exactly what Tony's security guard wouldn't call her if everything was alright and well. She felt her heartbeat rising and worries picking up as she was listening to the slightly aged voice of her former bodyguard._

 _\- Miss Leigh, Mister Stark was kidnapped. – He said with guilt evident in his voice._

 _\- What? How? When? Why? Happy! I'm on my way. – She said and she immediately opened her small laptop to buy a plane ticket and packed a couple of things to move as fast as she could. She felt herself panicking. Tony was the last part of Howard she had, and Howard was like a brother to her. She was lost in the worst possible thoughts as she drove from her home in her Jeep through the terrain of Great Britain to the closest possible airport._

 _After 8 hours flight, she found Happy waiting for him at the airport in New York with a very pretty, tall woman with reddish blond hair. She was well dressed and she was looking around apparently for someone older looking then Bree. So, when Happy saw her and moved to meet her the woman looked shocked._

 _\- Happy I'd say it's nice to see you if it wasn't for the circumstances. – Aubree said smiling at him slightly and putting her small hand on man's shoulder. Her eyes were covered with sunglasses as she didn't have any contacts on her._

 _\- Hello, you must be Miss Aubree Leigh, Mister Stark's aunt. – Said the well-dressed woman from behind Happy. – I'm Pepper Potts, Mister Stark's personal assistant._

 _\- Nice to meet you, Miss Potts. – Bree shook Pepper's hand and let Happy take her luggage, to a black elegant car waiting for them outside. – Happy, did you bring me what I asked you for? – She asked politely taking a small mirror from her bag as she sat in the car._

 _\- Yes, ma'am, here. – He took a small box from his suit pocket and gave it to her._

 _\- Please tell me everything you know. – She said as she opened a box with special contacts and started applying them on her eyes to cover unnaturally big irises from both Hogan and Pepper._

 _\- We don't know much, miss, but we are doing everything in our power to find Mister Stark. – Said Happy with a slightly worried voice. She could feel that he felt like he disappointed her, after all, he promised to take care of Tony. When she was finished she looked up at them with expectant and serious eyes, now covered in uncomfortable contact lenses._

 _\- So, in February Mister Stark went for a presentation in Afghanistan. – Pepper started as she saw that Happy wasn't making any effort to speak. – As far as we were informed by Colonel Rhodes they travelled in separate vehicles, and Stark's caravan was blown up by the terrorists that kidnapped him._

 _\- Wait, wait, wait! – Bree interrupted as she put one and one together. – Tony was kidnapped in February and you just decided to give me a call now?! – She looked at Happy with terrible disappointment and utter shock in her eyes. The security guard looked guiltier than ever. – Unbelievable. Happy I left all the contact information for a reason! – She scolded him like a mother would scold a child who seriously hurt his sibling._

 _\- Miss Leigh, Happy couldn't make a call, because the content of the envelope was hidden in JARVIS's files, only after I asked JARVIS he deployed the information to me. – Explained Miss Potts with an honest expression on her face._

 _Bree sighed heavily as they drove combing her fingers through her long wild mane of unruly hair. She didn't know who Jarvis was, but she didn't ask, she was too worried about Tony. She felt devastated at the thought of him being in danger for so long, and even more at the possibility of him being dead._

 _\- Do we know anything about his whereabouts? – She asked but she was met with a small shake of the head from Pepper. She was silent for the rest of the way to Tony's house. She found out about JARVIS and found herself looking around the house, that felt so different from old Stark home._

 _(25 April 2010)_

 _She stood at the airport with Pepper and Happy next to the car. She wasn't sure if Tony would even want to see her, and she accepted that if he didn't she just needed to see him alive and well. That is all she wanted from him, to be well. When she saw him exiting the plane with Colonel Rhodes her heart skipped a beat watching a boy she knew all grown up. She felt overjoyed that his injuries didn't seem to faze him as he dismissed the paramedics. She stood at the back probably completely hidden from his view of Happy's broad figure, as her eyes watered. She watched as he greeted Pepper and got into a car. She sat in the front seat without a word, Tony still hasn't noticed her and she didn't mind._

 _\- Where to sir? – Asked Happy looking at his boss in the rear mirror._

 _\- Take us to the hospital, please Happy. – Said Pepper in a small voice but middle sentence she was cut by Tony saying a stern "no"._

 _\- No? – Pepper looked at Stark with concern and surprise. Bree fought the urge to turn back and accompany her in this quarrel but she decided against it. – Tony, you have to go to the hospital, look at you. – She started to oppose him but he spoke over her._

 _\- No is a complete answer. I don't have to do anything I was in captivity for three months. There are two things I want to do: I want an American cheeseburger and the other..._

 _\- That's enough of that... - Pepper sighed._

 _\- It's not what you think. I want you to call for a press conference now._

 _\- Call for press conference?! What on Earth for?_

 _\- Hogan drive. Cheeseburger first! – He ignored her questions._

 _So, they drove, at first Pepper wanted to oppose but Tony quickly shut her up in his sassy manner as he finally noticed a third person accompanying them._

 _\- And who are you? – He asked seeing only the back of her head. She slowly turned in her seat and slightly moving her head back to see Tony between her seat and door._

 _\- Is that how you greet me, Anthony? – She asked smiling at him fondly as she finally took a good look at him. If he knew about her gift she would heal him, but for now, she had to play along. He still had to learn about her. For a moment, he seemed to be wondering, no lover of his called him Anthony that was reserved only for his mother and..._

 _\- Aunty Bree? – He asked when the realisation hit him. A mixture of emotions took over him as he looked at her shocked, confused, angry... He didn't say anything for the longest of time._

 _\- Don't worry Tony, now that I know that you are safe and sound I'll go. I just needed to make sure you are okay. – She said going back to sitting straight as her throat tightened. For a second a terrible memory of an arm constricting her windpipe came back to her, as she took a small sob-like gasp of air. She felt bad, and tears began to blur her vision as they stopped at a drive through._

 _\- Three cheeseburgers – Said Tony with unmoved voice. – Want one? – He asked Pepper and moved with the same question to Hogan and Bree, but they all said no. He took a bag and uncomfortable silence came over them as he ate his first one, and Miss Potts called for a press conference._

 _As they arrived clapping erupted and she and Tony were separated by the crowd of people. She saw him talking to Obadiah Stane, who still gave her a bad vibe. As she watched him move slowly towards the building with eating his cheeseburger she was watched by someone else._

 _\- Agent Leigh, it is nice to finally meet you in person. – Said an unfamiliar voice as she caught herself iced to the ground, she looked at the middle-aged man speaking to her. She looked at him suspiciously but then she heard him introduce himself. – Agent Phil Coulson from Strategic Home..._

 _\- Nice to meet you, Agent Coulson. But I'm not an Agent anymore. I'm more of a consultant so please call me Aubree. – She cut him off by shaking his hand. He smiled at her slightly and with an open gesture invited her to go inside with him._

 _\- Excuse me, Miss Leigh. – He said and moved to talk to Pepper. She was left in the doorway all alone._

 _\- We might as well get this started – She heard as Obadiah spoke moving in front of the microphone prepared for Tony. – Eeh.. – He breathed as he looked down at the platform to see Tony sitting on one of the stairs taking his last cheeseburger from the pocket of his suit._

 _\- Hey! Would it be alright if everyone just sat down? Why don't you sit down? That way you can all see me and I can... - He trailed off for a moment, and not finishing his sentence he spoke again. – Less formal than... - He took a bite of his cheeseburger. She watched him as everyone sat down and he looked down at his food. Even Obadiah moved to his level as the conference started. With a corner of her eye, Bree noticed a military man moving towards Pepper and crouching next to her. She guessed he must be Colonel Rhodes, as she saw him before on the plane. However, her eyes were fixed on Tony, oh gods he looked like his father so much that she felt like she almost moved back in time. She heard him mumble something to Stane, but then he repeated in a louder voice._

 _\- I never got to say goodbye to my father. – He said looking first at the reporters and then shifting his eyes to her. She felt the arm of the Winter Soldier closing on her throat again, her breathing caught in it as if she was being suffocated again. Tears welled up in her eyes. He didn't hold the eye contact, he focused on the reporters again. – There are questions I'd ask him. I would ask him how he felt about what this company did? If he was conflicted? If he had doubts? Or maybe he was a man we all remember from the news rails. – For a moment, he looked at her again, like he wanted to tell her something, but he soon started speaking again. – I saw young Americans killed by the very weapons I created to defend them and protect them. And I saw that I had become a part of a system that is comfortable with zero-accountability. – She listened to him not wanting to stop seeing the man he had become. He had grown so much in past years, and even more in these past months in captivity. One of the reporters held up his pen to ask a question. – Hey, Ben. – Acknowledged him, Tony._

 _\- What happened over there? – He asked in a timid voice._

 _\- I had my eyes opened. I came to realize that I had more to offer this world than just making things that blow up. And that is why, effective immediately, I am shutting down the weapons manufacturing division of Stark Industries. – And the chaos of questions started, everyone was in shock but Bree only smiled at Tony as he glanced at her._

 _\- Your father would be so proud of you Tony. – She said barely audible as she turned around ready to leave. She heard Tony still talking over the crowd but she couldn't distinguish any words. He was looking at her leave the room at a slow pace._

 _He felt the need of her, she was the closest thing to a family he had, and he made her leave once. As soon as he was left alone he moved past reporters leaving Obadiah to answer to them. He rushed after Bree. He didn't see her in the corridor, but finding Rhodes and Pepper he looked past them._

 _\- Where is Aubree? – He asked Pepper moving towards the exit. They followed him anxiously._

 _\- Who? – Asked Rhodey._

 _\- I don't know. She left. – Answered Pepper ignoring Colonel's question. They marched quickly and as they left the building they saw her small frame talking to Happy._

 _\- Don't be a stranger Hogan. I hope to see you soon. – She said as she turned from the man taking her phone out of her bag to call a taxi._

 _\- Aubree? – Said Tony in suddenly timid voice, as if he was worried that she will take revenge on him by ignoring him as he did for years. But she didn't do such thing, she turned her phone half raised to her ear as she looked at the man in front of her. Suddenly she was engulfed in the most comfortable one-armed hug she could have ever imagined._

 _\- Anthony... - She whispered as she hugged him back placing her hands on his back. As they moved away from each other she placed her hand on his cheek and smiled the sweetest smile. – You are all grown up. – She slowly moved her fingers to brush his unruly hair off his forehead. Her adoring eyes were unmistakably filled with love she held for this man, love that he missed for almost twelve years._

 _\- I missed you. – He said simply keeping his voice from shaking, as he heard her repeat those words back in the adoring voice he smiled a tight smile, which hid a hurricane of emotions._ – Stay _._


End file.
